Archaeologists were struck by the shape of a human skull found in South Korea

Archaeologists were struck by the shape of a human skull found in South Korea

22.06.2016

During the excavations conducted near the city of Gyeongju in South Korea, a group of scientists from Seoul national University have uncovered a mass grave with the remains of a woman, the skull which is very unusual elongated shape. At the moment, nor the exact age of the finds, nor the reason for explaining this anatomical feature, the experts confidently call not ready, although some of the data to figure out they have managed.

photo: pixabay.com

Experts say that the years of a woman’s life, one way or another, have at the time of the Silla Kingdom, which existed on the Korean Peninsula for nearly a Millennium, from 57 BC to 935 ad. Royal dynasty that ruled this country, was in power longer than the vast majority of the ruling families in the history of mankind. It is believed that many traces of the culture of Silla can be seen in the culture of contemporary South Korea.

The study of the remains of the girl, in particular, showed that it adhered to a strict vegetarian diet. In all likelihood, this suggests that she adhered to the Buddhist religion, dominant in the Kingdom. In all likelihood, the main source of calories for women served foods such as rice and potatoes.

Studying the skull fragments, the researchers came to the conclusion that its width was about 75 per cent of the length, while that of the people who lived in this region approximately in those days, the ratio is usually at least 80 percent.

Often the skull is of unusual shape, found by archaeologists in different countries have become so due to human intervention. This was practiced, including in the edge with Sill tribal Union of Kai. However, in the case of discoveries, in all probability, the unusual shape of the skull has a natural origin: otherwise, the bones in the front part of the skull, most likely, would be more flat.

Experts also drew attention to the fact that the mitochondrial DNA of women, transmitted through the female line, can be attributed to her genetic line, not too common, but seen in modern East Asia.

The results of their study, the scientists presented in the pages of scientific publications PLOS ONE.